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(No Model.) G.B.OALHOUN. UAR UOUPLING.

N0. '15 70.4. Patented Feb. 27, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries,

CLOUD B. CALHOUN, OF BOONSVILLE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DANIEL B. WOOD, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,704, dated February 27, 1894.

Application filed October 11, 1893. Serial No. 487,878. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLOUD B. CALHOUN,2L citizen of the United States, residing at Boonsville, in the county of Wise and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in an automatic car coupler, which, while simple and compact in its construction, will enable the cars to be coupled and uncoupled without any necessity for going between them; and the invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the same numerals of reference indicatc corresponding parts in all the figures,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my invention, in position at the end of a car. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, with the top of the drawhead removed, and taken on an enlarged scale. Fig. 8 is a detail view.

Referring to the several parts by their designating numerals, 1 indicates the flat draw head of my invention, which is formed with a large horizontal opening, 2, and a somewhat flaring mouth to facilitate the entrance of the coupling link. Within this flat coupling head are mounted the two locking cams, 3, 3. These flat cam plates are practically semi-circular in form,havin g the rounded outer and straight inner edges; and each cam is pivoted near its outer end on a vertical pivot bolt, 4; the cams being arranged side by side in the draw head so as to leave a small space between their innor ends at the central line of the draw head. A coiled or spiral spring, 5, is secured at its forward end to the outer end of each cam, the rear ends of said springs being secured in the rear of the draw head to vertical bolts, 6.

7 indicates a transverse rod which extends in bearings beneath the draw head, and has a crank handle at its outer end by means of which it is readily turned from the side of the car; and a bevel gear-wheel can be secured on the outer part of the rod, meshing with a similar bevel wheel on the lower end of a vertical rod running to the top of the car and there provided with a hand-wheel, by which construction the rod 7 can be manipulated from the top as well as from the side of the car, when desired. Studs or heavy pins project up from the rod 7 through recesses 1 in the bottom of the draw head and are connected by links 8 with the outer ends of the cam plates 3, as shown. The cam plates are formed near their inner ends with the vertical slightly curved slots 3, through which pass guide bolts, 9, which are secured vertically in the draw head, and which serve to guide the inner ends of the cam plates in their movements. The spring actuated cam plates are normally held in the position shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the coiled springs 5 holding them with their inner ends as close together as the bolts 9, against which the inner ends of the cam slots 3 then contact, will permit. The coupling link, 9, is formed with an arrow head, as shown 5 and it will now be seen that when two cars provided with my invention are brought together, the pointed head of the link, which is held horizontally by one car, will enter the draw head of the other car and sliding between the rounded outer edges of the two pivoted cams will press there inner ends apart against the pull of the springs 5 until the arrow head of the link has passed beyond the inner ends of the cams; when the coiled springs 5 will instantly swing the cams back into their normal position so that the straight sides of their inner ends will engage back of the link head and thus hold the link securely locked in the draw head, and the cars will thus be automatically coupled to- I gether.

To uncouple the cars it is only necessary for the brakeman, standing at the side of the car, to turn forward the crank-handle of the transverse rod 7, thus, through the stud-bolts 7 and connecting links 8 pulling the outer ends of the cam plates forward against the tension of their springs 5, causing the cams to turn on their pivot-bolts 4 and swinging their inner ends sufficiently far apart (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) to permit the ready withdrawal of the head of the link as semi-circular cams back into their former position. The brakeman can as readily turn the transverse rod 7 from the top of the car by the vertical rod before referred to, in uncoupling the cars.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. A car coupler comprising a draw head, the spring-actuatedcams pivoted therein near their outer ends, and an operating rod connected with the outer ends of said pivoted cams, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car coupler, the combination of a draw head, the cams pivoted therein near their outer ends, the springs connected to the outer ends of the cams, and an operating rod connected with the outer ends of said cams, substantially as set forth.

3. In a car coupler, the combination of the draw head, the spring actuated earns pivoted therein near their outer ends and formed near their inner ends with the guide slots, the guide and stop bolts passing through said slots, and an operating rod connected with the outer ends'of said cams, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a car coupler, the combination of the draw head, the cams pivoted therein near their outer ends and formed near their inner ends with the guide slots, the guide and stop bolts passing through said slots, the coiled springs connected to the outer ends of the cams, and the operating rod having the studbolts connected by links with the outer ends of the pivoted cams, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my'signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLOUD B. CALHOUN.

Vitnesses:

J. P. THETFORD, N. L. ERMSTED. 

